Virus Programs

[[MyIS]Dan]

Re: Virus Programs

It's also OK to have more than one anti spyware on your PC, unlike anti virus.

[TheHeartSmasher]

Re: Virus Programs

Install Comodo Firewall and make sure you turn everything on max and turn on the Defense+. Make sure you have several hours of free time to go through deciding what you want to run, etc. Or you can just use the firewall which is superior to almost anything out their paid and free.

Be careful with the defense+ it is extremly powerful and if you block the wrong thing you can stop your system from loading up properly.

AntiVirus/Malware/Trojan/etc. detection - I would have to recommend avast (free) and Bitdefender or/and Kaspersky

[sava700]

Re: Virus Programs

Install Comodo Firewall and make sure you turn everything on max and turn on the Defense+. Make sure you have several hours of free time to go through deciding what you want to run, etc. Or you can just use the firewall which is superior to almost anything out their paid and free.

Be careful with the defense+ it is extremly powerful and if you block the wrong thing you can stop your system from loading up properly.

AntiVirus/Malware/Trojan/etc. detection - I would have to recommend avast (free) and Bitdefender or/and Kaspersky

Better off avoiding software firewalls and just get a cheap 30$ router with a NAT firewall built in..then turn on Windows firewall.

Sygate,Comodo,zonealarm are all over kill.... if your at a college or university for sure avoid them as your behind more firewallls than you can shake a stick at already.

[StoneCold313]

Re: Virus Programs

Install Comodo Firewall and make sure you turn everything on max and turn on the Defense+. Make sure you have several hours of free time to go through deciding what you want to run, etc. Or you can just use the firewall which is superior to almost anything out their paid and free.

Be careful with the defense+ it is extremly powerful and if you block the wrong thing you can stop your system from loading up properly.

AntiVirus/Malware/Trojan/etc. detection - I would have to recommend avast (free) and Bitdefender or/and Kaspersky

Ad-Watch(program what comes with Ad-Aware) can do that too.. My brother blocked something with it, and every icon what this pc had didn't work... I mean, when i double clicked 'My Computer', it said "Windows cannot open this file..." And it did that with everything... I had to re-install windows because of that..

And as a safety precaustion, i don't use that program anymore. Since i don't want to re-install again because of my brother...

[TheHeartSmasher]

Re: Virus Programs

A decent router with a firewall is nice but that won't do anything for you on the system level and your as vulnerable as anyone without a firewall. You can have the safest surfing habits or not even surf the web but something might come down from your ISP or University that slipped by or was released by a student/faculty member then your done for espcially if you have a shared network which would be everyone unless you live at a datacenter and are on your own private vlan . Especially if you are using barebones antivirus software without some sort of HIDS.

If your running linux well your probably going to be safe especially if you don't use root as your normal user account. Plus if something does happen on your linux system there is nothing to prevent you from fixing anything since you have full access to your system down to the kernel.

[StoneCold313]

Re: Virus Programs

I know lot of people who uses only the firewall what they have in the router... Only thing they have adware wise is either AVG or something similar... And no problems at all...

I don't know about you guys, but i like the fact that i have strong software firewall running(Kaspersky). And that keeps the bugs out of my pc...

[TheHeartSmasher]

Re: Virus Programs

I'd recommend people run this test:

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/onlinetest.html

Along with this simple test that all antivirus should pass. The good ones won't even let you change the file extension to an exe and will stop you in your tracks and will ask you what to do.

http://blogulate.com/content/test-your-anti-virus-with-eicars-fake-virus-code/

[sava700]

Re: Virus Programs

A decent router with a firewall is nice but that won't do anything for you on the system level and your as vulnerable as anyone without a firewall. You can have the safest surfing habits or not even surf the web but something might come down from your ISP or University that slipped by or was released by a student/faculty member then your done for espcially if you have a shared network which would be everyone unless you live at a datacenter and are on your own private vlan . Especially if you are using barebones antivirus software without some sort of HIDS.

If your running linux well your probably going to be safe especially if you don't use root as your normal user account. Plus if something does happen on your linux system there is nothing to prevent you from fixing anything since you have full access to your system down to the kernel.

Your arguing this with someone that maintains a College Networking system...
Running through the network are several levels of security features that not only shape packets but monitor them for the "very bad" stuff... spyware/mal ware and other bad things like those will always be a factor unless you start blocking web traffic altogether so thats where a decent anti-spyware program such as super antispyware and spybot come into play...not to mention just watching where you go and to stay away from the porn sites.

Trust me, a software firewall even at home is a waste with a decent Nat firewall built into a cheap router along with just windows firewall. I can't for the life of me understand why gamers wish to hose up their systems or bog them down with these types of things over and over again cause they think its going to save their life.. :shakehead:

[Sam1990]

Re: Virus Programs

To be honest, I've only used a firewall once in my life and I'm not really interested in using one again. I currently have a Netgear router with Windows Firewall - not sure if the Netgear has a NAT Firewall though. I'll check on that later.

From all of your great suggestions it's difficult to choose which program(s) to use, but I'm thinking of combining the following:

Avast! Pro
SUPERAntiSpyware Pro
Spybot S&D
CCleaner

This should be a good combination of programs, right? I was thinking though... would it be better to go with this combination:

NOD32
SUPERAntiSpyware
CCleaner

Wanted to ask about NOD32 though. Do you just get NOD32 Smart Security and you'll have everything or do you need NOD32 and Smart Security to get all the features?

[AllFoamNoBeer]

Re: Virus Programs

Eset NOD32 Smart Security is the product you are looking at. I don't think you will need SUPERAntiSpyware with NOD32 running. Though I do advise you to get CCleaner.

[TheHeartSmasher]

Re: Virus Programs

It's always good to have internal and external protection with a mix of software and hardware especially for corporations, or universities, missing one can and normally leaves a nice whole for someone to come in through or exploit from the inside to do damage to the inside. Unless everyone is connected directly to the firewall which I am assuming they are not as hardware firewalls are normally used to screen traffic going in/out of the router not through the switch on the internal network which is where most problems arise . Internet traffic is normal safe with the bad stuff filtered out sometimes. But if that bad traffic is encrypted then it will go right through most of the time.

Which is why it is a good idea to always have a good antivirus and firewall. Many people I know that don't use paid products normally use a combination of Avast and Comodo and if they are careful with their surfing habits and stop things from running that they didn't execute using comodo then they are safe and they can game without problems.

I use comodo mainly to bring down system resources to the bare minimum needed that windows will startup and get the needed ports for games needed that need port forwarding as they are not always included in the manual . As you can run your system with all the services and networking disabled but you won't be able to connect to the internet or have any good gaming use with your machine if you do that.

[Sam1990]

Re: Virus Programs

NOD32 Smart Security Pro coming up. :)

Thanks for the help guys.

[signa]

Re: Virus Programs

Better off avoiding software firewalls and just get a cheap 30$ router with a NAT firewall built in..then turn on Windows firewall.

agreed. those software firewalls are resource hogs. too much bloat.